Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

Several days had passed.

His Highness the Crown Prince and Young Master Friedrich had spent the night together at the mansion...

My goodness, was that true?

The rumor that had spread like wildfire from the Friedrich estate that night eventually reached High Society.

And finally...

"I hear such a scandal is making the rounds."

It had reached his ears.

"What do you think, Evgenia?"

Bilmar Chesika, the head of the aristocratic faction. His purple eyes gleamed brightly in the darkness.

A woman sat at the end of his gaze.

"Well, Father."

Her name was Evgenia Chesika. The only daughter of Bilmar Chesika, she elegantly covered her mouth with a fan and raised the corner of her lips.

"Could it not simply be the sort of idle gossip that gossips love, as usual?"

Her long, wavy silver hair glistened beneath the moonlight pouring through the window. Her purple eyes, so like her father's, were half-hidden beneath lids curved like a snake's.

"Setting aside the fact that Young Master Friedrich is a man, His Highness the Crown Prince is enamored with Young Lady Beatus, is he not? There does not seem to be any reason for His Highness to spend the night with him."

"Hmm. That is a valid point as well."

Bilmar nodded slightly and rested his chin on his hand, his expression unchanged.

"But one never knows whether it is true or not."

"..."

Evgenia silently stared at her father.

"From now on, there must be no obstacles to our plans. Any sprout that might become an obstacle must be cut down in advance."

Their gazes met precisely in midair. Bilmar, who had been stroking the corner of his mouth, smiled crookedly.

"Evgenia."

"Yes, Father."

His deep, smooth voice echoed through the room.

"Invite Young Master Friedrich to the ball."

"..."

Richard silently stared at the single letter that had fallen into his hands.

"What is this?"

After staring intently at the letter in his hand, he lifted his head with a face as innocent as morning dew.

"Richard Friedrich."

Albert Friedrich furrowed his brow.

His stern voice was tinged with anger, but unlike usual, he did not raise a hand against Richard.

"Just what have you been up to?"

"Pardon?"

Richard asked, his eyes widening like a startled rabbit's.

"This is a letter from the Chesika Duchy. Just how have you been conducting yourself for such a letter to be sent to you?"

Albert interrogated Richard with a spiteful expression.

The Chesika Duchy.

Richard narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the letter in his hand.

We have no point of contact. Why?

A question soon arose in his mind.

I did need to make contact soon, though... Ah. Perhaps...

The question was resolved in no time.

Aha.

The corner of Richard's mouth curled up as he bowed his head.

It seems the rumor reached them.

Since the recent incidents he had stirred up were the only possibilities, the answer immediately came to mind.

And... a letter arriving at this time...

A ball.

It was most likely an invitation to the grand ball being held at the Chesika Duchy.

Separate from that...

"I... do not really know."

Richard looked up at his father with an innocent expression, as though he knew nothing.

Telling him would do no good.

"Hah. Conduct yourself properly, Richard Friedrich."

For some reason, Albert Friedrich merely passed by him after issuing that warning.

"..."

Watching his retreating back, Richard smiled crookedly.

Albert Friedrich, who normally would have raised his hand first, irritated regardless of Richard's answer, was different today. But the reason for his caution was obvious.

A letter had arrived from the exalted ducal house.

It meant that the highest-ranking ducal house in the Empire was paying attention to Richard Friedrich.

For Albert Friedrich, who was weak before the strong and strong before the weak, this was enough to force him to restrain himself.

Laughing at him to his heart's content inwardly, Richard walked down the corridor. The letter from the Chesika Duchy was tightly clenched in one hand.

The second young master...

Ah, recently, that...

The murmurs followed behind him.

It seemed the rumor about the incident in Cailus le Regnantia's bedchamber some time ago was spreading rapidly.

It's going well.

The corner of Richard's mouth curled up.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

In a very satisfied mood, just as he was about to climb the stairs...

"Hic."

Derek, who happened to be coming down, stiffened as though he had seen a ghost when he spotted Richard.

"Brother?"

Richard stared intently at him.

Normally, a quarrel beginning with "What are you looking at?" and a flying fist would have followed, but...

"N-no."

Derek lowered his eyes first, then hurriedly brushed past him.

"..."

Richard let out a stifled laugh.

Derek had been avoiding him like this ever since that day.

The reason was obvious. Since it appeared that Richard had spent the night with the Crown Prince, and considering everything Derek had done to him until now, he was probably trying to watch his step, however belatedly.

Stupid Derek.

In an even more cheerful mood, Richard climbed the stairs. As soon as he returned to his bedroom, he placed the letter on the desk.

First...

Richard decided to open the letter immediately.

He broke the seal and pulled out the letter, the smooth texture of high-quality parchment brushing against his fingertips.

[To the Honorable Young Master Friedrich,

We hope this letter finds you in good health. On behalf of the ducal house, we respectfully request your attendance at the upcoming ball.

At midnight on the tenth of the coming month, a ball will be held in the grand banquet hall of our ducal residence.

It would bring us great joy if Young Master Friedrich would grace us with his presence.

Sincerely,

Evgenia Chesika

P.S. The dress code is purple and silver.]

"Ball."

The moment he read the word, his lake-blue eyes shone brightly.

As expected.

It was just as he had predicted.

A letter requesting his attendance at the grand ball held at the Chesika Duchy.

However,

This was no ordinary ball.

It was the ball that the heroine, Lady Daphne, and the male lead, Cailus le Regnantia, would attend together.

Also...

It's the episode where the "villainess" officially appears.

Richard raised the corner of his mouth crookedly.

At this ball, the "villainess," jealous of Lady Daphne, would torment her at every opportunity and humiliate her before everyone.

But,

At the moment her torment reached its peak...

"Duchess Chesika, what do you think you are doing?"

The male lead would make a splendid entrance and save the heroine.

What was this called again...

Richard recalled Lady Daphne explaining everything to him during his first life.

It's a trite and worn-out "cliché." Isn't that right, Richard?

Ah. Right.

It was called a "cliché."

The "cliché" in which the male lead appeared at just the right moment to save the woman he loved.

I can't simply sit back and watch it happen.

A knowing smile appeared on Richard's lips.

The ball at the Chesika Duchy.

Originally, it was an event in which he, the second male lead, did not appear, but...

I've been given an opportunity this time.

He would never allow it to proceed according to the "cliché."

I should hijack it.

Richard resolved to hijack that "cliché."

And...

Besides, I have business at the Chesika Duchy anyway.

Richard rested his chin on his hand and rolled his eyes.

Do you remember the conversation with the Emperor?

"I will find it and bring it to you, so how about accepting my request?"

"Hah. Are you saying that because you know where it is?"

"Of course."

The place where the Empress's remains were hidden.

The basement of the Chesika Duchy.

That was the exact location.

Perfect.

There was not one reason but two why he needed to attend the ball at the Chesika Duchy.

To interfere with the romantic progression between the two leads.

And.

To make contact with the Chesika Duchy.

The corner of Richard's mouth curled up as he rose from his seat.

There are about three days left...

He needed to begin preparing for the ball.

A ball attended by all manner of nobles.

What do you think is the most important thing at a ball?

Family?

Manners?

A partner?

Of course, those were important too.

But the most important thing was...

Clothing.

It was not only women's dresses that mattered. Men's clothing was important as well.

Never wear the same outfit twice. Follow the dress code as though it were law. Those were the rules of High Society.

The dress code of the Chesika Duchy.

Purple and silver.

But...

Richard sighed and opened the creaking wooden wardrobe.

Inside his old wardrobe, only a few white and sky-blue outfits lay scattered about.

There was not a single purple-and-silver outfit matching the dress code in sight.

Well...

Although Richard was called the second son of a marquisate, he was practically no different from a beggar from the slums.

Richard Friedrich had no money.

Not a single penny!

It was only natural. He had been born a filthy illegitimate child, a veritable nuisance to the marquisate.

Would someone like him receive an allowance? Would he be given anything at all?

All he had been given were a few outfits to prevent the marquisate from losing face and a small attic room.

Let it be said again: he had no money to buy new clothes.

This was currently his biggest problem.

But if you had no money, you simply had to get some, right?

"..."

Click.

Richard closed the wardrobe and grinned.

Ah, how would he get it?

Well...

By extorting it, of course.

Humming a tune, Richard stepped onto the navy carpet and walked away. The servants' murmurs followed behind his shadow.

Since ancient times, it had been said that money should be extorted from easy targets.

Therefore, Richard would extort money from an easy target as well.

That target was none other than...

Derek Friedrich, who had been avoiding him for the past few days!

"..."

Richard stopped in front of the third door on the left side of the corridor.

Knock, knock.

He knocked on the door.

"W-who is it...?"

The pitiful, unsuspecting target answered from inside.

Creeeak!

Without waiting for permission, Richard forcefully turned the doorknob.

"!"

Navy-blue eyes widened as though they had seen something they should not have, then trembled like aspen leaves.

Taking in Derek's appearance, Richard smiled as brightly as the light of dawn.

"Brother, give me some money."

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